THE STORY BEHIND THE MISSION
“Vicente Guerrero is a small town located in the upper third of Baja Mexico. It is home to around 16,000 people that make up the larger population of over 3.3 Million people in Baja Mexico alone.
The average wage for people in Baja Mexico is between USD $4 – $6 per day. The average household has four family members living primarily in one room homes made from a mix of cardboard, pallets, and salvaged building materials.
The area enjoys a temperate climate very similar to San Diego. It is located less than 2 miles from the Pacific Ocean coastline. Temperatures at this time of year can range from 60 F at night to over 80 F during the day. It rarely rains – they only get 45 inches of rain per year.
As you might imagine, without much rain the area is very dusty, and can get quite windy. (If you wear contacts, you might want to consider bringing your glasses; we also recommend bringing bandannas to cover your face if there is a sand storm.)
The area we are staying has no heating (e.g. it is chilly at night and in the morning) so be sure to bring a jacket or sweatshirt! Helping Hands International has been serving in this area since 2005, thanks to partnerships with Youth With A Mission (YWAM).”
OVERVIEW OF ACTIVITIES:
Build a Home – We will primarily be focused on blessing needy families by building single family homes, complete with a cement floor (the slab will be ready by the time your team gets there), real windows (in lieu of pieces of cloths placed over a hole in the wall), a door that locks (instead of a piece of cloth or cardboard for a door) and a composition roof that will not leak when it rains! We will also provide the families with a bathroom and shower area.
Play with Children — Activities with local children typically include playing games, giving away candy and balloons, doing puppet shows, crafts and showing the love Jesus through our actions at the job site.
Attend Local Church — We typical attend a lively Mexican church service Wednesday night and/or an English church service Thursday.
Outreach – Depending on the Team Leader, teams may also assist with several other outreach ministries such as the Dorothy’s house woman’s shelter, local orphanage, and “The Dump ministry” aimed at drug rehabilitation etc.
Fellowship – While the activities involved in building a home allow for times of fellowship, we also take an afternoon to visit the beach, enjoy local food/culture and shop prior to departing.
Purpose – When we build a house for a family we are demonstrating the love of Jesus – who saw our need and provided for us! This act also helps to break the poverty cycle, improve health and education opportunities for children, give families more hope for the future and builds relationships. Our aim is not only to build a house for families in need but also to provide a home where families can have more stability, where day to day challenges can be minimize and where the love Jesus is celebrated for future generations. Thank you, Volunteers, for partnering with us to provide help and hope to hurting people!
What To Expect
Where We Stay & What We Eat
Lodging consists of dormitory style buildings. Each dorm sleeps 12 with 6 sets of bunk beds. They come with a pretty comfy mattress but don't forget your pillow and sleeping bag. The food is prepared by the mission base staff. It’s a variety of traditional Mexican food as well as some American dishes. The food is delicious and safe to eat. There is clean purified drinking water in a couple different locations on the base.
What to Bring
Temperatures at this time of year can range from 60 F at night to over 80 F during the day. Plus, it rarely rains – they only get 45 inches of rain per year. As a result, without much rain, the area is very dusty and can get quite windy. If you wear contacts, you might want to consider bringing your glasses. We also recommend bringing bandannas to cover your face if there is a sand storm. Please note, the area we are staying has no heating (e.g. it is chilly at night and in the morning) so be sure to bring a jacket or sweatshirt!
Bible
Bedding: sleeping bag, pillow, fitted sheet, alarm clock and ear plugs (if a light sleeper) etc.
Bath: bath towel, soap, shampoo, toothbrush and toothpaste, personal items, flip flops for shower etc.
Clothes: work clothes, one nice (not dressy) outfit for church, jacket and/or sweater (cold at night), work gloves, bandanna or hat, swimsuit (modest please; no bikinis) etc.
Shoes: tennis or work shoes are preferred (e.g. no bare feet at any time) etc.
Other: baby wipes, beach towel, camera, flashlight, hand sanitizer, sunscreen and water bottle etc.
DRESS CODE
No undergarments showing at any time
Dresses/skirts for outreach should be mid-calf to ankle
No tank tops, low-cut, scoop neck or tight fitting shirts (e.g. no showing bellies) for the girls; sleeveless is ok
Men cannot take off their shirts, except on the beach day
Swimsuits can include tankinis but no bikinis
